Beneath the Stars
by nhbdyuknow
Summary: "Buttercup's words got to me. When she said she would never date Butch, he's her enemy and she hates him, that's exactly how I felt towards Brick. But we've grown to have the relationship of mutual acquaintances, which shouldn't be acceptable. And I've tried, I have, to stop it from happening, but Brick won't hate me back. He just won't, and I don't know why..."
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Memory

12:30

He told me to meet him here at 11:30. I've been here for an hour. At best, its 10 degrees out, and I'm trapped in a thin, short dress. Why? Because he told me we were going 'out' tonight, so I dressed up. His order. My obedience. Bad choice. Seriously though. Why couldn't he just show up on time? Was it so hard? Apparently. At times like this, I like to imagine myself strangling him. Actually, I'm always imagining that.

The cold breeze easily slips under and up my dress, chilling my entire body. I turn to face away from the wind and hold my dress down taut, when I come eye to eye with a particular red head. Although I wouldn't call his hair red, it has a strong brownish hue to it. Total reverse of my hair, which is burgundy with deep red running through.

I have to take a small step back to comfortably meet his eyes. He towers a full head over me and makes it obvious. "You're late."

He shrugs, then his gaze dips over my figure. "That's the best you've got?"

I follow his stare to my dress and suddenly feel self conscious. "We're not going to Vegas."

His eyes flash with amusement. "No, but we are going to the best club in town."

My face falls. "But you know I don't drink and-"

"You do now." He states simply, already taking off to the sky.

I follow his moonlit figure. "I don't want to get drunk. What if someone-?"

He shakes his head. "You really think I'd let anyone touch you?"

Crossing my arms, I mutter back, "Only because you want me to yourself."

Unfortunately, he catches this. "So what if I do?"

I snap back, "I'm not your property!"

He chuckles. "Actually, Red, as long as you want your sisters alive, you're anything I want you to be." His eyes find mine. "Tonight, you're gonna be the opposite of a good little school girl."

My mouth opens and I'm about to retort back when sudden bright lights blind me. I stop and stare at the giant building below that can most likely be seen from space. It's bedazzled in lights and signs and the music is super loud even from out here. I land beside my counterpart in front of the club.

The people standing around the exterior look familiar. Possibly past villains I threw in the slammer. They all have some form of cigar or alcohol and most of them are underage and doing illegal drugs. I could easily put them in their place; jail, but I know my counterpart wouldn't let me.

I cross my arms. "Brick."

"What."

"I don't even know how to order a drink."

* * *

"Glass of Captain Morgan please." I say to the bartender for the third time tonight. As I wait for him to bring me my drink, I search the crowd for any sign of my counterpart. I don't know when, where, or how I lost him...I just sorta did. I think one drink should've been enough for me but my adrenaline is so high right now and the excitement is rushing through my veins like a drug and I can't seem to get enough. The alcohol is kind of calming me down, I think. Really, I don't know. I have no knowledge on the concept of alcohol or drugs. They say the point is to get some sort of 'high' feeling. I don't feel high, I can fly for Christ's sake, but I do feel dizzy. Which means I should probably stop, right?

"Here you go." The glass of golden liquid slides across the table and into my awaiting hand. I hurry it to my lips and drink to the last drop. When empty, I place it back down and the bartender takes it. I give him the money then make my way towards the bathrooms.

I believe I lost Brick at the bathrooms. I had went in to do my business, he was waiting at the door, I came out, and he was gone. Or did I just not notice him and walked straight into the crowd? Can't remember.

"Hey!" I call to a guy with a red shirt. He turns around and reveals his face. I furrow my brows and walk away. I continue through the crowd, checking faces, calling out to strangers, but Brick isn't amongst the dancing freaks. Just when I'm heading back to the bar, I spot a sign with the word VIP engraved in gold. I tilt my head to the side. It's the only place I haven't checked. Why not try it?

It takes squeezing through a lot of sweaty, moving bodies before I make it to the door but when I do, I'm met with a tall, thick man.

He looks down at me, then at his clipboard, then back at me. "Got a name?"

My thoughts drift away as he speaks and I don't immediately respond. He snaps his fingers in my face and repeats himself. Quickly, I answer the first thing that comes to mind, "Red."

He stares at the paper in his hands again, marks something, then removes the chain blocking my entrance. I stride through and open the door, hoping and praying that Brick is behind it.

When I step through, it's dark and I can't see anything. Then, a light flashes on above me and I nearly walk into a metal pole. I blink and stumble back. A person sits before me, I can just barely see them in the glow of the light. I glance up, then down, and realize I'm on some sort of mini stage with a pole in the center. What the hell is the point of that?

"Oooh, red head...my favorite." A man's voice purrs. I can hear ice moving around in a glass and see him take a drink. My mouth begs for beer...or water, I'm not sure.

"Me?" I dumbly ask. Suddenly, everything becomes fuzzy and I shuffle forward, grabbing onto the pole for balance. My mind turns to a jumble of words and becomes useless.

"Who else? It's just me and you." He spreads his arms across the back of the couch. "So don't be afraid to get wild."

I raise an eyebrow. "Wild with what?"

"What the hell?" I slowly sit up and fall back down. My head is pounding like someone just drilled a screw into it. My stomach growls, wanting food, yet my mind tells me one bite and I'll puke my guts out. I try to get back up, swinging my legs out from under the covers, but upon standing, everything sways to the side and I fall with it. Fortunately, I grasp the bed on my way down and pull myself back onto the mattress. Then I see it's not pink sheets and I panic.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" I shout and the door bursts open. Brick appears at my side.

His face is a mix of anger and humor. "How'd you feel, Red?"

I narrow my eyes. "Like shit. Complete shit. Now tell me, what the hell happened and why am I not at home?"

He adjusts his cap. "Well, you got dead ass drunk last night." He states, meeting my eyes. "I was looking all over for you, thought you left, looked outside, didn't see you, went back in, found you wandering out of the VIP room with your dress slid up to your ass." He narrows his eyes. "Brought you here because I didn't feel like seeing your bitch sisters. You passed out soon as you got here."

I rub my temples. "I what?!"

He shrugs, "It's normal for a rookie."

I think back to last night and a very faint memory of the guy in the room appears. My eyes widen. "The VIP room is for strippers...isn't it?"

He nods.

I groan. "God damn it!"

He crosses his arms. "What'd you do in there?"

I pull a face. "Nothing."

"Bullshit."

My face flushes red and I shake my head. "I was looking for you, thats all."

He lowers his voice. "What did you do in there?"

"I don't know." I say. Upon his face reddening I throw my arms up. "Honestly I don't remember! But I think it might've been ya know..." I pull a face. " _That_."

Brick's eyes flash with rage and he looks ready to murder someone, then it flickers away and is replaced with amusement. "Nerdy little Blossom got drunk and turned into a stripper in one night?"

I slam my fist down. "I am not a nerd! Does it look like I'm at school right now? Or stuck at home doing homework? Does it look like I'm even worried about school!?"

Brick grins. "No. But I have some news for you." He takes my chin and pulls me close. "Your perfect attendance is about to be ruined."

I roll my eyes. At this point, I'm not even concerned about school. I'm too concerned that I have STDs or AIDS or that I went further then a lap dance with that guy. School is the least of my concerns. "I need to get home."

He nods. "You can go home. Tell your sisters you're skipping school today to hang out with the Rowdyruff leader and that you probably won't be back in a month." My eyes widen. "Or...you can stay here and worry about them later."

I cross my arms and look away. "Not like I have a choice."

He chuckles. "Pinky, as long as you're with me...you don't have a say in anything other than whether you wanna get on birth control or not."

My stomach drops. "Wha-?!"

"We're going to grab something to eat downtown. Grab one of my hoodies if you want and be ready in 5." With that, he turns and leaves. It takes me a minute to process what he said before I jump out of bed and start getting ready.

I feel like an idiot as we walk into the cafe. I look horrible, not only because I'm wearing a black hoodie that's WAY too big, but also because I have the absolute worst dark circles under my eyes and my hair is a tangled mess of curls.

"Would you stop bitching?" Brick snaps at me.

I glare. "This isn't exactly how I was planning on spending my afternoon."

He snorts. "Right, you were gonna have a helluva time at school, I forgot."

His sarcasm is beyond annoying but I have to agree, school isn't fun. I suppose this is better than listening to Arsenaul teach Calculus.

We find a small table by the windows and sit there. We order something to eat and the waitress leaves. My eyes follow after her. She's clearly trying to get attention in her short little pencil skirt and low-plunge blouse. But to my surprise, Brick doesn't even glance her way. Unfortunately, he's too busy staring at me.

"What?" I ask and take a sip of my water.

He raises an eyebrow. "You should wear black more often."

"I thought you liked red."

He nods. "Yeah, but you already got red hair. The black makes it stand out."

I pause and pinch a burgundy curl between my fingers. I never considered wearing black. My sisters and I have always worn bright colors, the ones we were born with. I release a quiet sigh at the thought of my sisters. They're probably worried about me right now and don't know what to do. I'm the leader, I'm the one who always knows what to do, but when I'm not around...they get lost. Right now, I feel lost. I made my decision a week ago and I still don't know if it was the right choice. When I return home, I always feel like I chose Brick over my sisters but thats not what happened. I know the truth is that I saved their lives, but when they look at me with mistrust clear in their eyes...I feel like a traitor.

"Here you go." I snap out of my thoughts as the waitress returns with our dishes. She slides a salad over to me then Brick. Her eyes stay on his as she pushes the plate as close to him as possible, letting her hand linger for a second. She turns to leave and I just catch a subtle wink. My eyes narrow as she walks away, swaying her hips dramatically. Well, she has to, she has no hips otherwise. I smirk at my joke.

"Bitch." Brick scoffs.

I eye him. "What?"

He meets my gaze. "The waitress. She's obviously flirting with me even though it's apparent that I'm taken."

I cock my head to the side. "Taken? By who?" This actually comes as a surprise to me. Brick has eyes for another girl, besides me? That would be awesome. Then I wouldn't have to worry so much and be his constant target.

He snickers. "I thought you were the smart one."

"The hell does that mean?" I sneer.

With a roll of his eyes he answers me, "You."

"Me what?"

He groans. "I'm taken by you, dumbass."

I clench my fists at the insult then realize what he said and stiffen. He's taken by me? "NO!" I suddenly shout.

Brick slaps a hand over my mouth. "Shut up!" He hisses.

I slap his hand away and cross my arms. "We are not a thing, dipshit."

He shrugs. "Fine."

I furrow my brows as he pulls out his phone and dials a number. "Who are you calling?"

He stares back, emotionless. "My brothers. They'll head over to your house and kill your sisters. Do you want it to be fast...or slow? They're real good at making torture fun."

A gasp escapes my lips and I reach for his phone. He snatches my wrist in a solid grip and I growl. "Alright."

He smirks and puts his phone away, releasing my arm. "You should really get this through your head, Red. You can't disobey me, period."

I retract back into my seat and glance away. "Whatever."

* * *

"Fucking asshole." I mutter as I sneak into my house through the upstairs window. Brick, once again, screwed me over. I spent the whole day with him even though I knew my sisters were beyond worried and then he had the decency to bring me back to the club, where I practically got forced into stripping, and make jokes about how sluttish I looked. He said things like, "You probably did get screwed. You came out looking like you had stripped everything off then fucked then thrown it back on in a rush because your 10 minutes were over." He doesn't even care that I nearly lost my virginity to a random guy in the club. He probably doesn't even know that I'm still a virgin, I hope he doesn't. Knowing Brick, he'll make jokes about that too.

I land on the soft carpet of my bedroom and silently creep to the door. The sound of snoring reassures me that my sisters are here and safe. I make my way to my closet to switch into pajamas when I realize how comfy Brick's hoodie is.

 _"You should wear black more often."_

Maybe I will.

I slip into bed and stare through my window. The moon is covered by clouds and it's not long before it begins to rain, but I've always liked the rain, especially at night. It's relaxing and dark. Bubbles used to watch a show that I can't remember the name of and it had two characters who were in love. They would sneak out and meet at the park every night. But that was whatever. The finale was when the real action kicked in. The boy showed up to the meeting place and waited, but it wasn't until midnight that the girl showed up. It had begun to pour and the boy couldn't immediately tell that she was crying, until her sobs split the air. Her parents had died in a car crash. He comforted her and stayed with her the entire night, sleeping at the park. When he awoke in the small glow of the morning sun, she was gone. A few minutes later, he arrived at her house and found her dead. She had overdosed and he blamed himself. Turning into a Romeo and Juliet sort of tale, he followed her in death and the cops found both their bodies. I think the actors sucked and the script was cheesy, but the theme itself was beautiful. I've never been one for romance, though.

"Blossom?" I sit up from the sudden intrusion and sigh in relief as I find Bubbles standing in my doorway. She bites her cheek. "I think we should talk."

She flicks my lights on and comes to sit beside me on my bed. We talk in small voices, as to not wake Buttercup, but she's a deep sleeper so it's fine.

"What about?" I ask.

She sniffs. "I know you've been sneaking out in the night."

'Oh shit.' I internally panic and try to think of an excuse.

"Why? Where are you going?"

"Um...the library...to study." Lame!

She narrows her eyes ever so slightly, not buying it.

I put on a guilty facade and drop my head. "I've been going to parties."

Bubbles' eyes widen. "Parties? Why?"

I run my fingers through my hair. "It helps take my mind off things. My way of getting away from the stress."

"But when do you sleep? Sleep is supposed to help with getting rid of stress you know." She's worried now, like a strict mother.

I really don't get much sleep. What with Brick having me see him every night and usually stay for three hours or more. Last night was the first time I ever stayed until morning. It is draining me and I need to talk with him about it, but right now I have to focus on Bubbles and ridding of her worry.

"I don't stay out too long." I say. "Plus, I can last off of only four hours of sleep."

She hums sadly. "I guess, if you're being safe." She stands up.

"But don't tell Buttercup." I say.

She gives me a small smile. "I won't." She yawns, then leaves.

I sigh heavily and collapse onto my bed. Eventually, I'm going to have to lie to Buttercup too...that's going to be the hard part.

When I wake up in the morning, I glance at my clock to see it's an hour passed 6 and I'm late. I jump out of bed and quickly get ready. I brush my teeth and hair, grab an apple on my way out, and zip to school. For the first time in my entire life, I have to grab a tardy slip from the office.

I walk into class and take a seat, trying to ignore the weird looks I'm receiving. I grab my notebook and follow the teacher's instructions as best I can. But it's not long before I find myself drifting to sleep and then snapping my eyes open to the sound of the bell. I go through all of my classes and don't have anymore problems until lunch.

"What's with the outfit?" Buttercup scoffs as we find a seat.

I glance down and hold back a gasp. I'm still wearing Brick's hoodie.

"Hey it's a new style! Let her be." Bubbles snaps.

Buttercup eyes me and I nod. "Yeah, I didn't have much time to get ready."

She furrows her brows. "Well when the hell did you even get that?"

I bite my lip. "Yesterday, while I was at the mall."

"You mean instead of going to school?" Buttercup states. Her eyes are narrowed, she can totally see right through me.

"You skip too. What's wrong with it?" I ask, my face heating up.

Bubbles, remembering our talk from last night, sticks up for me. "Buttercup, would you leave her alone!"

Thankfully, Buttercup backs down and we return to eating our lunch. But that doesn't push aside my worries because I still have to see Brick again tonight...and every night, and I'm already falling behind. What am I going to do?

I stand in our meeting spot, still wearing his hoodie, and wait for his appearance. I have to talk to him about sleep interference and keeping a low profile from my sisters, but I don't know how. I'm still not comfortable being around him like this. If I'm with him, it should be to fight. Not hanging out. But then again, he teases and taunts me so much and clearly the exhaustion is getting to me so maybe he has some sort of sinister plan. I need to find out.

A light breeze brushes my back and I sigh. "I can't keep this up."

I turn to face him and his crimson eyes are furious. "The hell does that mean?"

I cross my arms. "I need sleep!"

He snorts. "Sleep at my place."

I shake my head. "I have school in the morning."

"Then skip school."

"I can't!"

His eyes narrow warningly. "Do you want your sisters to die?"

My stomach drops. "No-"

"Then stop being a bitch and skip school." He growls.

I clench my fists and glare at him. "Fine. But trust me when I say I will find a way around this. You won't control me for long, _Brick_." I spit out his name like a curse.

He grins. "Actually, Red, there's no way around your own feelings."

I frown. "What does that mean?"

He shrugs, "You'll find out eventually." He takes my hand. "Tonight, we're hanging at my place."

He pulls me through the air and across town, to the suburbs. I've been here many times before because this is where all the criminals go. It's not a surprise that Brick lives here.

"What about your brothers?" I ask as we land in front of his house.

He shoves the door open. "What about them?"

I cautiously follow him in and find that it's actually an abandoned, redesigned building. I was just here yesterday but I was rushed to get out so I didn't see much. Of course, Brick has tons of brand new, beautiful furnishings and decorations. All sorts of expensive things that he stole. I want to beat him up for it, tell my sisters, do something...but I can't. Which sucks.

"I thought you didn't want anyone to know about us." I say.

He grabs a video game off the couch and goes upstairs. "I'm the leader. My brothers don't get to question what I do. _This_ is none of their business. Got it?"

He gestures between us and I feel a sinking feeling in my gut. "Still, what if they mention it to my sisters?"

We enter his room and he gives me a look of bewilderment. "Since when did you care who finds out?"

I stuff my hands in the over sized pockets. "Since I realized this is wrong."

He slips the disc into the Xbox console. "What's wrong?"

I throw my arms up. "Us not trying to kill each other right now! I don't like it and I don't know what you're up to but it has to stop."

He stands up and meets my glare. "Red, I don't give a shit if you like it or not."

I grit my teeth. "You're missing the point."

He cocks his head to the side. "Oh really? Please, enlighten me."

I slap my forehead in frustration and regret ever getting myself into this situation. "The point is we're mortal enemies and I hate you. You hate me. We aren't supposed to be 'hanging out' like we are right now. I don't know why you're doing this but it's wrong. You have to hate me."

He chuckles. "I don't got to do anything."

It's useless. He's too egotistical to actually listen to what I'm saying. He never has and never will listen.

I release a sigh and cross my arms. "Am I supposed to just stand here while you play a video game?"

He arches an eyebrow. "Or you can join. I don't really care, pinky."

I decide to find a spot on the ground at the foot of his bed and rest my back against it. This way, he can't sit near me and he can't pull anything.

"I can't skip school everyday." I say.

Brick growls in annoyance. "Whatever!"

I watch the huge, expensive television screen as Brick begins a game. I've never been a huge fan of video games because of how slow they are, but this one isn't at all. I actually find myself getting into it after a while.

Suddenly, the bed shakes and I look over to find Brick's arm extended out to me. In his hand is a controller.

"Wanna play?" He asks, sounding childish.

I look between him and the controller. "No, I'm go-"

He tosses it into my lap. "Too bad."

I pick up the remote and instantly get a flashback from when I played with Buttercup as a kid. I recognize the controls and buttons just as the game starts. We both choose a character, mine being Kitana and his Sub Zero. Then a low voice booms from the speakers telling us to begin. It takes me a few seconds, with some mistakes and taking hard blows, before I figure out my own moves. My character has fans with blades on them...I think, and some sort of blue magic. I dodge a hit and uppercut him with my fan. He flies into the air and I do a magic jump and cut him again. He flies higher up and I use a kick, kick, uppercut, and then a combo to finish him off. He stands there, wobbly and beaten, and I press some controls in the pattern that pops into my mind. The camera zooms in. Kitana takes her folded fans, throws them into Sub Zero's skull and chest, then raises her arms and they magically open, ripping Sub Zero's insides to shreds.

 _"FATALITY!"_

Brick drops his controller onto the bed above my head. "What the hell. Since when did you play?!"

He glares down at me with envy and I smirk. "I dunno. Guess you just really suck." I narrow my eyes. "Oh and may I add...you just lost to a nerd AND a girl."

Once again, amusement flickers in his eyes. Usually, this would anger him to the point that he would attack me and fight me to near death. Instead, he snickers. "Just wait until you see Butch play. Nobody beats him."

He rolls away from the edge of the bed and I glance at my watch. It's only been an hour.

"Wanna get some pizza?" He asks.

I'm reluctant to say no, but remember I missed dinner because I was taking a nap. My stomach growls and I nod. "Yeah."

We go downstairs and the second I turn the corner and see Butch and Boomer, I start backing up. With Brick oblivious, I stay planted on the steps and refuse to go any further. His brothers look at me oddly.

"Ummm...the fuck is a puff doing in our house?" Butch asks.

Brick gives him a hard shove. "We talked about this, it's none of your business."

Boomer stares at me and I hold my breath, scared him and Butch are going to attack me. "Do you like spray painting?"

I glance at Brick and he's busy with Butch, so that means I only have the attention of one ruff now. Good.

"I don't know...never tried it." I say back.

Boomer's blue eyes widen and the physical similarity between him and Bubbles terrifies me. It's so weird. I've never noticed it until now.

"You haven't spray painted before!?" He shouts.

"Boomer shut up and stop talking to the bitch!" Butch punches him and I wince.

Brick's face darkens. "Butch, you're staying here while we grab pizza."

The green ruff throws his arms up. "Why!?"

"Because I said!" Brick roars. Then he and Boomer head to the door. I'm hesitant to follow.

Butch glowers at me. "Well? You gonna just stand there like a moron?"

I narrow my eyes back and stride passed him, less scared then I was a few minutes ago.

Brick opens the door and we all fly out, leaving Butch behind while he has his little tantrum.

As we soar over the town towards Main St Pizzeria to steal some food, Brick and Boomer stay ahead of me and talk, I'm silent the entire way. I have a sickening feeling being around two ruffs and not being threatened. I have the thought that Brick and his brothers are playing mind games with me. They're going to get me in a position where they can destroy me, leaving my sisters lost and unsure so they're easier to kill. That would be the end of the Powerpuff girls and humanity itself. That's why I cannot let it happen. But how do I prevent it? How do I know what's going through Brick's head and what he's plotting? There's no way to keep him from tricking me. Even though I don't trust him, I still stick with him because I don't have a choice. Being around him so much could change my way of thinking and be exactly what Brick wants. What do I do? That's the problem! I don't know what to do and I have no one to talk with about it because if I spill the tea, Brick will lay down an unimaginable punishment for sure.

"Are you seriously thinking again?" Brick swivels his head around to look at me.

I search his face. "Why do you care?"

"Because you're a fucking nerd and it's really annoying." He states. I notice his lip twitch.

A very small smile slips across my face. "Oh? I'm annoying you? Gee, I'm sorry. But who's fault is it for having me around?"

His eyebrows raise slightly. "You ain't gonna be a nerd for long, Red."

I nod. "Right, because being around you so much I'm obviously going to change."

This leaves him stumped and his expression shows it. "Fine, we're going to spray paint the school tomorrow. You're coming with."

"Ooh, I'm so scared." I grin. Even though I didn't put myself in the best position, at least I got some valuable information. A few simple words and I already know what Brick has planned. Be it good or bad.

* * *

"You're going to cover this entire wall." Brick states and tosses me a can of black paint.

I furrow my brows. "With what?"

He rolls his eyes. "Figure it out, Pinky."

He disappears behind the corner of the school. I glance over my shoulder at the bright, white moon illuminating the atmosphere. I don't _want_ to graffiti the school, but I have to, so I will. It's not a huge deal, no one will get hurt in the process. But what gets to me is my sisters and what they would say if they ever found out. Being the leader, I'm expected to be a good role model. This is so not a good example of that.

I shake up the can and toss the cap aside. Black mist spreads against the brick wall and I quickly start directing it. The whole time, I continue to think about my counterpart. I know what he has planned now, or actually what he doesn't have planned, and I'm not happy about it. He isn't playing me, he's not tricking me, he's being real. He wants to hang out with me. The Rowdyruff leader wants to be friendly with the Powerpuff leader. What the hell!? It's extremely confusing and makes no sense. I know that that's the only answer, has to be, but why? Why does Brick have a change of heart? Why doesn't he hate me? Please don't tell me he _likes_ me.

"Red." I release the can and it crashes to the ground, rolling away. I drop my arms and turn to Brick.

"What?" I snap.

He looks at the wall and smirks. "Not bad for your first time."

I scoff and cross my arms. "When can I go home?"

"When I say."

As always, his words spark annoyance in me quicker than anyone else's. "Can you just give me a solid answer?"

He raises an eyebrow. "No."

"You just did." I say.

He shrugs. "You can go home right now, I was up all last night so I'm tired anyways."

My eyes brighten. "Really?" Then I pause. "Up all night doing what?"

His face flushes. "Video games."

I narrow my eyes. "Why-"

"Bitch!" I spin around to find Butch throwing his arms in the air. He stomps over to me. "You used up my can of black paint!"

I glare. "It's not empty dipshit."

He picks up the can and points an accusing finger at me. "I don't care! You-"

Brick snatches my wrist and looks at Butch. "We're leaving now, save your tantrum for later."

He pulls me into the air and I growl, "I can fly myself asshole!"

He releases me and takes off faster. I quickly catch up and he chuckles. "I can't believe you didn't sock that idiot in the face. You're okay with him calling you a bitch?"

I arch an eyebrow. "You think I didn't want to hit him? The only reason I couldn't is because you'd probably kill my sisters." I look away. "I'm not willing to let that happen."

Brick stops midair, right above my house, and stares at me. "You really care about them, don't you?"

A look of bewilderment crosses my face. "Of course I do!"

He releases a heavy sigh and crosses his arms. "Fine."

I glare. "Fine what?"

"Fine I won't kill them." He states. "But if you stop meeting me-"

"You'll kill them, I know." I roll my eyes in annoyance.

He shakes his head. "I'd just be sad to see you go."

I blink. "What does that mean?"

He flashes me one of his signature grins. "Nothing, Pinky. Stop worrying so much and get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow night." With that, he takes off into the air and vanishes. I watch the small bit of red fade away from the sky before going inside. The only thing on my mind being my counterpart.

* * *

"Oh my god he's _so_ HOT!"

I turn my head and see a group of girls gushing over Matt Boleski, Senior football captain with a 4.0 GPA and a new girl on his arm every week.

"He's such a bad boy! I love them like that."

Matt? A bad boy? Please, Brick could whoop his ass with his hands tied behind his back. Not only that but Matt hasn't ever killed someone, he's never destroyed buildings, humiliated bad ass gangsters, or become the town's worst nightmare. Then again, that's probably a good thing. Brick is a criminal, of course he's bad. Maybe it's sometimes cool, like when he bitches at Butch, but that doesn't make up for the horrible things he's done.

"Yeah, it's so not fair that Buttercup gets him." My head snaps up.

"SSSH!" One of the girls hisses. "Her sister is right there."

Of course I hear this and my eyes light up with fury. I stare at them and lower my voice. "Where are they?"

All of the girls freeze and none of them are quick to answer. Which only adds to my anger.

I stand up and slam my hand down onto the desk, causing all of them to leap back. "Where are they?"

After one of the girls finally tells me, I throw open the door and hurry down the hallway. I find them at their lockers, the bell having not rung yet, and Buttercup hears me before I can open my mouth. I stand before her and cross my arms. Matt is behind her, a sadistic grin plastered on his face. I look him up and down, underwhelmed by his attire. Bad boy? Because bad boys totally wear khakis and polos, riiight.

"What is it?" She asks.

I glare at Matt. "Can you give us a minute?"

Once he's gone, Buttercup sighs. "If this is about your crush on Matt when we were kids-"

"It's not." I state.

She closes her locker. "Then what is it about?"

I peer down the hallway to make sure no one is around before whispering harshly, "You know how this is going to go. Don't be an idiot. He's an asshole and you're too good for him. I don't want to have to explain this to you. You should know better."

She snorts. "What are you, my mother?"

My eyes narrow.

"He's hot and you know I have a type." She says.

"The mean type, I know."

She nods. "He said he'll take me out if I let him see. That's pretty evil." Her eyes are alight with excitement.

I scrunch up my nose in disgust. "All he wants is to get in your pants."

She shrugs. "Eh, could be worse."

Brick pops into my mind and I bite my lip. She's right, it could be worse. You could have a guy threatening to kill your sisters if you don't hang out with him. But last night he said different. He told me he'd only be sad if I didn't show up, but he wouldn't kill my sisters. Yet, he also said 'see you tomorrow night' as though he was sure I'd show. Why would I? What possible reason could I have to see him again?

"Anyways, my point is I don't care why he's dating me. I like him. He's everything I want." Buttercup's voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

I frown. "No, there's someone much badder than Matt who meets all the requirements."

She cocks her head to the side. "Who?"

"Butch."

Her face pales. "He's my enemy. I hate him! Why would I ever-"

"Didn't say you would. He's badder than Matt, that's all." I release a sigh and turn to leave. I hesitate. "Just don't get yourself killed."

As I lay on my bed, in the comfort of my dark, isolated room, I try to hold back the tears that threaten to spill. Buttercup's words got to me. When she said she would never date Butch, he's her enemy and she hates him, that's exactly how I felt towards Brick. But we've grown to have the relationship of mutual acquaintances, which shouldn't be acceptable. And I've tried, I have, to stop it from happening and to bring us back to the hate and fighting. But Brick won't hate me back. He just won't, and I don't know why. I don't want to hang out with him. I don't want to laugh joyfully around him. I don't want my stomach to flip at the thought of him. But nothing I say or do will stop it. Just like tonight, I've decided that I'll meet up with him. The only difference about this time though, is that I'm going willingly. And I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what is pulling me to him, what is keeping me from saying no, from saying that I hate him and don't ever want to see him again unless he tries to kill me. Then and only then, will I want to see him. I also have to wonder about why I have to hate him. I can do as I want, can't I? Who's is getting hurt in the process of me not hating him? I can still stop him from causing crime and- My eyes widen. I haven't even paid enough attention to the crime rate recently to realize how much it's gone down. And that's because theres one group that hasn't done anything in weeks; The Rowdyruff Boys. The last time they caused trouble was before I made the deal with Brick, but not causing crime wasn't a part of the deal. Why did they stop? What in the hell is happening!?

"You were right." My eyes open and I look towards the doorway. Buttercup slumps her shoulders in defeat. "Matt is an asshole and he just wanted to get in my pants. But he's not bad, he's not even cool, he's just a perverted loser."

I reach out and pull her into a hug. I wrap my arms around her and she does the same, shoving her face into my burgundy curls. She begins to sob and I almost join her, but being leader I know I'm here for support. I gingerly brush my hand up and down her back. I can feel her tears on my neck. She cries for hours and I'm there for her the entire time, talking, comforting, and being her shoulder to cry on. When I calm her down and get her to bed, it's already 12 and I have to leave. I take one last look at my sleeping sister, pass by Bubbles room, who's door is slightly open to let the hallway light in and lies in her bed with Octi against one cheek, then take off into the night sky.

* * *

I spot his red streak 15 after. He's always late.

He lands behind me and snickers. "You actually came."

I face him. "Why can you never show up on time? Do you not realize how cold out it is?"

He steps closer to me and shrugs. "You never gave me my hoodie back."

My eyes widen. "Well I was busy and-"

To my surprise, he pulls his sweatshirt up over his head and tosses it into my arms. His crimson eyes flicker with amusement. "Now will you stop bitching?"

I yank the red material on. "Depends. Can you be nice to me for one night? I've had a rough day."

He furrows his brows. "Why?"

"Long story short, Matt Boleski played my sister and she broke apart."

His face reddens with rage. "Did this guy fuck with you?"

I blink. "No. I mean he tried a couple months ago but-"

"Where does he live?" Brick interrupts me.

I shake my head. "You're not going to go beat him up, Brick. He's just a loser, not worth the effort."

"If he messes with you again I'll rip his fucking throat out and pin his body up on the flag pole. Got that?" He growls in my face and I wince.

My throat tightens. "That's not the only shit thing that happened today." I say.

He calms down a bit. "What else?"

I dig my nails into my arms. Should I really tell him? Is it even the right thing to say? I stare up at him and feel my stomach flip again. Just seeing his short brown, red hair tucked messily under his red cap with his hidden evil smirk and deep red eyes gives me chills. Whether it's because it scares me, gives me bad memories, or makes me fall further into this unfamiliar feeling...I can't hold it back. I suck in a sharp breath. "I've been thinking about you. About what's happening between us. I don't get it."

His eyes widen. "Don't get what?"

I growl. "Brick!"

He glares. "What!?"

"God damn it!" I shout at him.

"What the hell did I do!?" He shouts back, a look of hurt softening his furious red eyes.

Before I even realize I'm crying, tears slip down my cheeks. "You made me fall in love with my enemy you asshole!"

He's about to curse something at me when what I said hits him and he drops his arms. "What did you say?"

I choke back a sob. "I hate you!" I use the over sized sleeve of his hoodie to wipe away my tears, which of course have now mixed with rain because it has to start pouring at the worst times. "But still, I love you."

The rain falls over both of us and I can hardly see him through it. His glowing red eyes, however, pierce me with an intense glare. "Red, you're a total bitch, and I absolutely hate you." His words slice through me and I have to look away. Suddenly, I feel his radiating body heat and find him towering over me. He stares at me and says, "So why do I love you?"

More tears spill and I shake my head. "I don't know. I really don't know." Then I collapse into his arms and bury my head in his chest. I tangle my arms around his neck and tighten my hold.

He pushes me away after a while, gently. He wipes away my tears and meets my eyes. For the first time, I see Brick as someone who didn't kill innocents, who didn't steal and beat people up, who simply wanted to live and have fun, like any normal teen would. But I know that's not the truth and what he is can never be forgotten. I step back.

"I'm sorry." I say. "I didn't want this to happen."

"Me either." He says. He forms a small grin. "But hey...keep your friends close and your enemies closer?"

I meet his eyes and smile. "Always."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Redemption

The building beside me explodes and the force sends me shooting across the sky. I plummet through glass and cement, taking out three offices and the bank, before I'm able to recollect myself. I shoot back through the crater I made and tackle Butch to the rooftop of another tower. I treat his face like a punching bag and don't stop until I see blood. He catches my wrist and throws me aside. I dig my heels into the ground to come to a halt. Butch cracks his knuckles.

"Are you deaf? Or were you not listening when Brick told you to back off?" I growl.

He shrugs casually. "He won't ever know what happened."

"I'll tell him."

"You won't live to." He slicks back his dark hair and gets into a fighting position.

I raise an eyebrow. "You think I'll lose to a twig armed pussy?"

He sneers and ignites a green flame in his palm. I inhale slowly and hold my breath. With a quick lift of his arm, the fire flies towards me. I blow out a mist of white that cancels out the flame as they meet. Once the fire and ice evaporates, I meet Butch's emerald eyes.

"Stupid bitch, I'm going to make you-!" In a blur of green and red, Butch is taken to the ground and pinned beneath the tall, muscular figure of his brother.

"What the hell did we talk about!?" Brick shouts, eyes glowing furiously.

Butch opens his mouth to retort but Brick slams him back down.

"If I see you hit her one more time, you'll be sorry."

I snicker at the look on Butch's face. He looks like a deer in headlights. Big, scary, strong Butch is at the mercy of his brother.

Brick steps aside so Butch can get up. The green ruff grumbles, "I don't see why you like her."

I place a hand on my hip. "I don't see why your brothers like you."

Butch throws his arms in the air. "You're such a b-"

Brick snatches Butch by the collar of his shirt and pulls him close. "Finish that sentence. I dare you."

My face lights up with amusement.

After a minute of silence, Brick releases Butch. My counterpart looks to me. "I'm late...again, I know."

I nod. "It's been an entire month, and not a thing has changed."

He grins. "I guess not. Something that does need to change, however, is Butchie boys attitude." He shoots a glare at Butch, the green ruff grunts in response. "He's been throwing a fit about every little thing cuz he hasn't seen his girlfriend in forever."

"Aw, does Butch miss Buttercup?" I coo.

He clenches his fists. "Hey she ain't my girlfriend!"

"Yet." Brick teases.

I laugh out loud, adding to Butch's fury. "Gee, Butch, aren't you a hypocrite. Just last year you were talking shit about me and Brick being friends, now you're hooking up with my sister!"

Butch's face pales. "We ain't hookin' up!"

Brick crosses his arms. "Suuuure."

Butch growls. "I swear! All I missed was beating her up, cuz she's a cunt and I hate her!"

"Watch it dipshit!" I shout.

"As amusing as this is-" Brick begins. "There's a party at 1 and I don't wanna miss it."

I raise an eyebrow. "Who's house?"

"Jayce."

At my puzzled look, Butch explains. "He's a hardcore alcoholic over on the west side of town. Even though he's a total ass, his parties are fucking sick. Beer, food, chicks, he's got all the good stuff."

I nod. "Sounds interesting." My gaze flickers to Brick. "Will my sisters find out?"

He shakes his head. "None of the prissies know about parties in the hood."

Brick referring to my sisters as 'prissies' ticks me off, but the party does sound fun, as long as theres no VIP room.

"You might wanna change though." Butch says, a grin tugging at his lips.

I glance down at my jeans and t-shirt. "Why?"

"Don't want attention drawn to yourself? Gotta blend in, and the girls at these parties only wear bikinis." Butch states.

Brick snickers. "It's true."

I cross my arms. "I am not showing up in a fucking bikini."

My counterpart shrugs, "Then you ain't going. I'll just find myself another girl to hang around with at the party. There are plenty of private rooms if we need some alone time."

My temper boils and I clench my fists. "Fine! I ain't wearing a bikini, but I'll blend in. What time is it?"

Brick shrugs again. "When I left, it was 12:20. So it's probably quarter to 1 now."

I curse. "Stay here, I'll be back in 10."

Bubbles is sleeping at her friend's house tonight and Buttercup is busy watching TV, so I sneak through the upstairs window and into my sisters' rooms. I steal a pair of dark stilettos from Buttercup then a skimpy black dress from Bubbles. It has no sleeves and a wide open back, it fluffs out a bit at the hips and ends right below my butt. The torso is nearly too tight for me, but I manage to squeeze it on and slip into the shoes. Bubbles usually wears this with a jacket or tights, but if I did that I wouldn't blend in. Fortunately, my hair is long enough to cover up half my back and my shoulders. If this doesn't do it, then I'm screwed.

The boys, to my surprise, are still waiting on the rooftop when I arrive back. I spot a head of blonde hair as I land and see that Boomer has joined them. The minute their attention is drawn to me, they drop their jaws.

Brick whistles. "I told you you look good in black."

I give him a small smile. "I took longer than I meant to, so we should go."

Boomer checks his watch. "She's right, it's 5 after."

Brick nods and the boys take off into the air, but he stays behind. He gives me a devious smirk, strides over to me, grabs my wrist, and pulls me into the sky. He really needs to realize that I'm capable of flying without his help.

Jayce's house is just like the ruffs, it's an old abandoned building. But this one has a lot more space to hold the enormous crowd that's showed up. And trust me when I say it's enormous, especially for a 'house' party.

"I'm kind of reconsidering." I mutter as we all make our way inside. Plenty of looks are shot our way, most of them directed at me. I'm disgusted by the clothes the girls are wearing, and I make it apparent, returning their glares.

"We're kind of popular, obviously." Brick says to me. He winks at one of the girls and I feel a twinge of anger.

"Well, like you said before...you're taken." I growl, yanking him closer to my side.

He snickers darkly. "You're really sticking to that saying, aren't you?"

I look up at him and shift my shoulder. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just keeping you away from getting more STDs."

He tweaks my nose and I glare. His eyes fill with glee. "Don't worry, I'm clean."

I scoff. We walk farther into the house and the music grows louder, blaring over the obnoxious crowd. Butch and Boomer trail behind us and people seem to just naturally move aside. They're most likely afraid of the ruffs. Which is 100% understandable. It kind of makes me excited, to be walking around with the baddest, toughest guys in the world and having everyone fear us. I smirk. Tonight is for sure going to be fun.

It's about half passed 2 when I decide to split from the boys and grab a drink. Brick, surprisingly, is a total party animal just like Butch. Everyone watched them play beer pong, quarters, spin the bottle with shots, power hour, flip cup, and drunk football. Boomer tagged along for a couple of the games, but apparently he has a low-tolerance level and usually ends up naked in the streets when he gets too drunk. I was very tempted to join the games but after my last incident at the club...I think I should hold back for a bit longer. So I let Brick and Butch have their fun while Boomer and I head to the refreshment table.

"Did you know Brick can crush anyone at drunk football?" Boomer chirps happily as we squeeze through the crowd.

I shake my head. "I didn't think he was the sport type. Although a jersey would look pretty good on him." We approach the beer and I splash a good amount of Budweiser into a plastic cup and hand it to Boomer.

He takes it. "I still think it's weird."

As I pour myself a glass, I nod. "I know. It always will be. Brick and I being friends? Nobody will ever truly accept it, but hey...who gives a shit?" I look at him and he grins.

"Touche."

"Holy shit." I whip around and nearly crash into someone. I meet the eyes of a guy with a ripped up tank and shredded jeans, chains all over his wrists and neck, and the strong scent of weed following him. His thick eyebrows knit together. "You are one helluva woman, aren't ya?"

Movement behind him catches my attention and I notice there are four guys standing around the table as well. I place my hands on my hips and size up the man. "Is there something you want?"

He inspects me up and down and a wide grin develops on his face. "Follow me upstairs and I'll show you."

The guys behind him snicker. Boomer groans. "Jayce, get the hell outta here."

I glance back at Boomer and raise an eyebrow. "This is the guy who set up the party?"

"That's right baby." Jayce slurs.

I wrinkle my nose and growl, "Do not call me baby."

He wraps an arm around my waist and reaches below my dress. My eyes widen and I pull him down by the collar of his shirt and hiss into his ear, "If you don't let go of me right now I will personally see to it that you never walk or speak again."

When he doesn't abide, I lift him up off the ground and throw him over my head. I barely put any effort into it and yet he breaks through the wall and gets crushed by the falling debris. The other guys rush to help him and I simply walk away.

Boomer follows me and sighs. "Butch said he was an ass."

"He was right." I say. "For once."

Boomer chuckles. "Ya know, I don't see why he hates you so much. You're pretty cool."

I look at him and smile. "You ain't so bad yourself. But if you think I'm cool...wait till you get to know Bubbles."

His eyes light up then he frowns. "No. I can't. She's-"

I groan, "Your enemy. Yeah I get it. You and Butch both have this crazy notion that you can't be with my sisters because you're their enemies. That's exactly what my sisters think, too. But your brother broke that rule and he's your leader. You'd follow him anywhere, wouldn't you?"

He scratches the back of his neck. "Yeah."

"Just as I'm the leader and I broke the rules, my own rules. But what bad has come from it? Have my sisters been hurt? Have you guys been hurt?"

"No."

I soften my tone. "Exactly. So what's stopping you and Butch from trying to end this rivalry between us all?"

He looks down, then into my eyes. "I'm not changing. I'm not going to be good."

I frown. "You don't have to."

He shakes his head. "Bubbles is too sweet, she wouldn't accept a villain like me."

I cross my arms. "Oh, so I'm not sweet? I've come to terms with Brick being a villain and I'm apparently a 'nerd' and a 'goody two shoes.'" At seeing his look sadden I place a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Look, Boomer, she's my sister, I know her. She wouldn't push you away because of how you were raised. She would give you a chance. That's what me and my sisters do, we give people chances."

He runs a hand through his pale, shaggy hair. "I suppose she'd try to change me, huh?"

I shrug. "Maybe she will. Or maybe you'll see the world from someone else's viewpoint and realize that being bad isn't all that good."

He forms a small smirk. "Guess it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot."

I clap him on the back. "That's the spirit. Now let's go join that beer pong tournament!"

We find Butch and Brick gathered around the people playing beer pong and I can't believe that neither one of them looks drunk, even after like 20 drinks. I find a spot beside Brick and nudge his arm. He looks down at me and his deep red eyes seem to brighten.

"Guess what." I smile.

He snorts. "What?"

"Boomer is gonna try to befriend Bubbles." I say.

His eyes widen. "You're kidding."

I shake my head. "Nope."

He grunts. "You're gonna have to teach me your ways." He takes my hand and intertwines our fingers. "You know, the sooner we get our siblings to make immense, the sooner you and I can hang without having to sneak around all the damn time."

I smirk and slip my hand from his grasp. "I kind of like sneaking around. It's exciting."

He tries to take my hand again. "I knew you were bad."

I cross my arms to prevent him from getting my hand and roll my eyes. "We've all got some evil in us."

An arm falls across my shoulder. "Hey are we gonna play or what?"

Butch grins down at me and my jaw drops in shock.

Brick high fives him and is able to grasp my hand during my confused state. He chuckles, "Hell yeah! Let's show these losers who's boss!"

* * *

"Where were you last night?" Buttercup asks me as we sit down at the kitchen table.

I pick at my eggs with a smile strung across my face. "Out."

Bubbles sets out a glass of orange juice for each of us. I thank her. Buttercup doesn't, she's too focused on me.

"Out where?"

I take a sip of the tart liquid. "Library."

"Doing what?"

I'm lost in my thoughts as I answer, "School work."

"It's summer." Buttercup states.

I glance up at her. "So?"

She shakes her head and returns to eating. Bubbles joins us at the table and stirs up a conversation.

"I was thinking..." She begins, eying both me and Buttercup to see if we're listening.

"Hope you didn't hurt yourself." Buttercup mutters.

Bubbles ignores her. "We should go on a vacation next week."

I furrow my brows. "Where?"

She spreads a napkin out on her lap. "Hawaii? Jamaica? Florida? I don't know."

Buttercup shrugs, "I think California would be nice. It's got everything."

I nod slowly. "Yeah...but how long would we stay?" The first thing that comes to my mind is Brick. He would so not let me go on a vacation. He gets angry if I miss even one night with him. It's tough, but I've grown used to it. Plus, hanging out with Brick is fun, like last night. I smile. Last night was one of the best moments of my life, I've never been so thrilled and happy to be around people. Drinking? Dancing? Being completely insane and wild? Horrible example. But so much fun.

"I was hoping we could go for a month!" Bubbles chirps.

I drop my fork and it clatters to the floor. My sisters stare at me in horror.

"Or not..." She whispers.

I bite my lip. "No, it's fine. I just-"

"Don't wanna miss your precious reading time at the library." Buttercup grumbles.

Bubbles purses her lips. "You don't think there are libraries in California?"

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "I didn't say that. I just think a couple days would be enough. We aren't overflowing with money right now."

Buttercup throws her arms up. "A couple days!? What the hell is the point of even going then?"

"Language!" Bubbles snaps.

I almost laugh at that remark, but decide not to.

"A week." Bubbles states. "A week or two would be nice."

Buttercup looks to me and so does Bubbles. A week? Or two?! Brick is going to be so pissed. I release a long sigh and mutter, "Fine."

* * *

The sky is clouded with mauve colors. There's a dense breeze coming in from the east, following behind it is the low growl of thunder. A storm is coming, and not just from the sky.

I sit on the ledge of the same rooftop I've been meeting Brick on for 3 months now. Below me is a gang circled around the dumpster that they've lit on fire. In the glow of the heat, my hair almost appears orange again. I remember when it used to look like a carrot, with my straight cut bangs, and big red bow. Man, now that was embarrassing. The way my hair changed is pretty cool actually. Apparently, according to the Professor, the Chemical X in my blood melted the color into a red tone. Brick's hair probably did the same. The Professor always had an answer to everything. He was the smartest man alive, he never gave up on his experiments. He never gave up on me. If only he had found the answer to his most difficult experiment...a cure for cancer.

"Dude, I have the perfect plan for breaking into the Museum!" I turn my attention back to the men below.

"We can set the Mayor's office on fire then when they're distracted we can break in, steal all the gold and jewels, and boom we're rich!"

I roll my eyes, what a dumb plan. Do they really think I'd be stupid enough to fall for it?

"That's the best you've got?" I call down to them. Instantly, they all pull out knives or guns and stare up at me.

"Who the hell-!?"

"Scatter before I smash your heads against the wall." I spin around and find Brick standing at my side.

Once all of the guys run away, Brick takes a seat. He removes his hat and combs his fingers through his messy hair. As always, I feel butterflies in my stomach at seeing his handsome face.

"It's going to rain soon." I say.

He shrugs. "I like the rain."

The wind sweeps passed me and twists my hair around. Brick tenderly brushes the strands from my face. He takes my chin in his hand and turns me to him. "How were you feeling this morning?"

I tuck my hair behind my ear. "Okay. I was a little dizzy at first, but it didn't last long. I slept really late." I glance away for a split second, then meet his gaze.

The shadows on his face are more prominent, illuminated by the flames below. His red eyes narrow ever so slightly. "What's wrong?"

I blink. "Nothing." I avert my eyes again. "Just...um, I'm going on vacation."

"Where?" He asks.

"California." Before he can ask I say, "For up to two weeks."

I suck in a breath and just as I expected, he shakes his head. "Nope, you ain't going."

"It's not your decision!" I shout.

He glares. "Oh really? If I told you to rob a bank, would you do it?"

I don't respond. He already knows what I would've said.

"You're not leaving for two weeks." He states.

The wind picks up and the thunder grows louder. I groan in frustration. "I tried to change it to only a couple days but my sisters want to go on a long vacation."

"Get out of it." He says.

I scowl. "I'm not ditching my sisters. I haven't hung out with them in ages. Because I've been with you."

He rolls his eyes. "Not my problem. And besides, two weeks alone." He smirks and leans in.

I push him away. "No! They're my family and I'm not letting them down. You're being a total asshole right now."

His teeth clench. "Two fucking weeks is a long ass time you know."

I scoff, "You'll live."

He stares at me. "If you go then you better the hell not miss a night up until then."

His eyes are burning with evil intent. I cross my arms. "I won't."

It takes a few moments of tension filled silence before the thunder growls and it begins to pour. I start to shiver from the cold, despite my ice breath, and I slip off the edge. I land on the cement and walk over to the burning dumpster. It's beginning to die, so I light my hand on fire and add it to the trash. The flames lick at the sides of the container but stay inside, blending into a pink color. I spot Brick out of the corner of my eyes, still on the roof ledge. He's looking away from me. I pick up an empty pop can on the ground and chuck it at him. Just as it's about to make contact, he catches it, crushes it in his hand, and drops it in the fire. He still won't look my way.

"I ain't gonna show up if you keep being a dick!" I yell. When he doesn't react, doesn't even glance at me, I growl and kick the dumpster. It breaks open and bursts into flames. But I don't even care. I turn away and float into the air, ready to go home.

"I think it's cute that you've started talking like me."

My eyes flash with anger. "Wow, I guess being forced to be with you for so long really left an imprint, huh?"

He shrugs. "You were only with me for a couple weeks, then you started coming willingly for the rest of the time."

I clench my fists. "Because I'm a nice person. I actually care, unlike you."

"You can bitch at me all you want, Red. But you can't change a person who doesn't see an issue in their actions."

My rage boils over and I lift the dumpster over my head. He finally looks in my direction when a giant, flaming trash can is projected at him. He ducks and it soars over his head, colliding with another building and lighting it on fire. His eyes meet mine, then red lasers shoot towards me and I drop to my stomach. Quickly, I get up and catch a metal pole. I bend it to form a U shape and fly through the rain. I dodge each of his punches and attacks before looping the pole around him, securing his arms to his sides. I twist the ends tightly and wrap them around his torso. I think I have him pinned when suddenly the metal turns red and melts away from his arms. He breaks out of the bindings and cracks his knuckles. His eyes are furious, murderous. The second he leaves his position, I'm thrown into a building so hard that it destroys the frames. I try to catch my breath when I see the top of the building begin to descend. My eyes widen. The sound of wood and glass shattering surrounds me as the sides of the building and the roof that is hundreds of feet above me crumble. I suck in my last bit of oxygen and squeeze my eyes shut as the entire building collapses on top of me.

My body stiffens and trembles with pain as I'm pinned beneath the heavy debris. I lay there for a while, too scared to move, until I run out of oxygen. I begin to squirm under the heavy cement, twisting my arms and lifting my legs. Every movement hurts because theres something sharp positioned at a horrible angle underneath me, every time I shift it digs deeper into my leg. But I can't breathe so I force myself to push at the rubble and try to get out. Suddenly, I feel rain splash against my cheek and I open my eyes. Brick shoves the debris aside and extends his arm out to me. I take it and he pulls me out. The rain soaks me, but it feels much better than being stuffed under a building with no air. I sit on the collapsed building and for a minute I just breathe. Then the anger strikes me again and I stand.

Brick gazes at me with distant rage. "I'm not apologizing."

I scrunch up my nose, disgusted by everything about him. "I didn't think you would." Then I take off into the sky. To my surprise, and only to add to my fury, he follows.

"You're freaking out about nothing!" He shouts.

"Family isn't nothing!" My face heats up.

"This doesn't have anything to do with family!"

"Yes it does!" I growl. "And just as a heads up, you'll never be a part of mine!"

"Hell, I'd rather be dead than a part of your family, WHORE!" I glance back at him in disbelief. "I should've killed you when I had the chance!"

I stop mid air and cover my mouth to hold back the sobs. He stops too and his eyes just begin to soften when thunder booms over head and a flash of white blinds me. Theres a blur of red, but he's too late.

* * *

"We should rip his fucking head off!"

"Language!"

"He almost killed her!"

"But he didn't, he brought her here and that's why she's alive."

"HE CAUSED THIS!"

"No he didn't, Buttercup. She was struck by lightning."

"The asshole could've been lying! He's a criminal, what'd you expect!?"

"Would you stop shouting? You're going to wake up the whole neighborhood!"

"I'm not shouting! I'm talking like normal! You're the one shouting!"

I groan and sit up.

"BLOSSOM!" As soon as I'm sitting, I'm pushed back down by my sisters. They stand on either side of me with clear worry written across their faces.

"Ugh, what happened?" I murmur and glance around. I'm in a hospital.

"You got struck by lightning...right?" Buttercup says.

Realization hits me and I blink. "Oh my god."

"What!?" Buttercup shouts.

I face her. "Where is he?!"

"Brick?" Bubbles asks.

I nod.

"Who cares he-!"

I interrupt Buttercup and repeat myself, "Where is he!?"

Bubbles puts a hand on my shoulder. "We don't know. He just dropped you off at home and told us you needed immediate medical attention, then left."

My heart stops and I jump off the bed. I look around and upon seeing a door, I hurry out and begin towards mine and Brick's meeting spot. My sisters call my name as I go, but I ignore them. When I arrive on the rooftop, I'm petrified.

Three buildings lie on the ground, one in ashes, the others in rubble. Firemen are gathered around another site trying to put out a fire that only continues to spread. Quickly, I help them out by using my ice breath to permanently kill the flames. Before they can thank me, I shoot off to the suburbs.

Bubbles and Buttercup have for sure lost me. But just to be certain, I land in an alley and run the rest of the way.

For the first time in my life, I arrive at the ruffs' house and knock. Boomer answers the door.

The second he sees me, his eyes widen. He steps aside and I walk in.

"Where is he?" I ask.

"Holy shit! Pinky?" Butch strides into the room.

"In his room." Boomer answers.

I nod and make my way upstairs. I don't knock this time, I throw open the door and find Brick on the edge of his bed. His cap is tossed on the ground and he's shirtless, I can see a fresh cut running through his abdomen and I know it's from me. He has his head in his hands and doesn't notice me because he has ear buds in.

The music is playing so loud that I can hear it and once I recognize the song, my stomach sinks. It's the one he always listened to while we hung out. He said he only listened to it when he thought about me.

 _Only when I start to think about it  
I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you  
You hate everything about me  
Why do you love me_

I draw closer to him and nearly gasp when I see a tear slide down his face.

 _Every time we lie awake  
After every hit we take  
Every feeling that I get  
But I haven't missed you yet_

Truly, I don't know why I came here. I don't know if I planned to apologize, throw a fit, beat him up, or simply talk. But now I feel that two of those options have been thrown out.

 _Only when I stop to think about it  
I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you  
I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you_

His breathing grows heavier and I myself have to hold back tears. Seeing him vulnerable like this crushes me. It tells me how hard of an impact I made on him. It breaks my heart to know that I'm the reason he's like this.

 _Only when I start to think about you I know  
Only when you start to think about me do you know_ _I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you  
You hate everything about me  
Why do you love me_ _I hate  
You hate  
I hate  
You love me  
I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you_

I hear the song end and theres a chance of silence. "Brick."

His head snaps up and he sets his eyes on me. He tears the headphones off and tosses them, and his phone, to the ground. In a single stride, he's in front of me and pulling me into his arms. I bury my head into his strong chest and mutter two words that I hope can mean the world to him. "I'm sorry."

I pull away and stare into his intense, crimson eyes. He glares. "Don't apologize. I'm the one who nearly killed you. And if you died...I wouldn't live one second without you. I would sooner take my life than yours." He brings me close, holding onto me tightly, protectively, as if challenging me to try to escape.  
"I love you." He says. His hot breath brushing against my neck. "I don't want to lose you. Don't you dare leave me."

I shake my head. "Why would I do that?"

He pushes me back so that I can meet his gaze. "Because we're enemies."

"I don't care."

His eyes brighten. Suddenly, he tangles his hand in my mess of curls and crushes his lips against mine, covering up my gasp. I nearly lose my balance from the force and have to tie my arms around his neck. He uses his other hand to push me closer by the small of my back. As the kiss lengthens, I run my fingers through his hair and am surprised to find that it's soft, not gelled. Then, he lifts me up and I wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me to the bed. He places me down and continues to kiss me. He escapes the kiss a brief second so we can both breathe before diving back in. One of his hands falls against the side of my head while the other holds onto my hip. He pushes deeper into the kiss and growls, making me shiver with excitement. I pull him down even further and then dig my nails into his neck when he bites down on my lip.

The door swings open. "Is pinky gone or-HOLY FUCK!"

Brick breaks away and gets off me. I nervously sit up and pull my sweatshirt down, my cheeks red hot.

Butch and Boomer are stood in the entrance with their eyes wide.

"What the hell are you staring at!?" Brick snaps at them. "Obviously she ain't gone!"

Butch stares at me, then his eyes descend. "Did you guys-?"

"NO!" I shout. "God Butch you're such a perv!"

Boomer glances at the green ruff. "You really are."

Butch shrugs. "Hey, all I'm saying is if you guys are ever interested-" He makes a gesture. "-cuz I'm interested so you know, we could just-" More gestures.

"You could just get out." Brick growls.

Boomer nods. "Yeah, Butch, let's go."

The blue ruff is able to grab hold of Butch and pull him out. "I'D TOTALLY JOIN!" He shouts from the hallway. "HIT ME UP!"

Brick face palms and I nearly throw up.

* * *

Mother Nature decided to make tonight beautiful. The moon glows in the dark sky above, circled by millions and billions of stars. Just beyond the city, on the other side of town, the good side, I can see my house. The lights are on, and with my excellent vision I can see that my sisters are packing for tomorrow. That's when we leave to California for two weeks. I'm excited to spend time with my family and relax for a while, but there's still an ache in my heart. That ache is caused by my arch nemesis, the greatest villain in town, my counterpart, and also...the man that I would die for. For the last night before I leave him, I chose to spend it with him. He gave me three choices; go to a party, go to the house, or go to a new spot. I told him, "I'd rather stay here. This is where we first met, isn't it?" He nodded and we started talking about our first meet. When all he wanted was to destroy me, he had no other feelings or emotions other than hate. I simply wanted to stop him from harming my family and the rest of the world, I didn't care about him in any way. But as the fighting between us grew, we saw more of each other. We saw something we had never seen in anyone besides ourselves. It was both intriguing and terrifying, a thrill of some sort. And that's the very thing Brick and I love, the thrill. Maybe that's what changed our feelings. Who knows? But honestly...who cares? All that I care about is that I'm no longer trying to kill him. I've found a good person in a terrible villain, he's found an evil girl in a perfect hero. Once you have what you want, you always want more. I will never stop wanting him. I will never stop loving him. I guess that's kind of the same. It's a constant need that I can't escape. I _need_ Brick, and he needs me.

"I guess that's one of the reasons why you love me." His taunting voice causes me to turn around. He sits beside me with a smirk. "Because I'm always late."

I purse my lips. "Yeah, you're right. I totally love sitting in the cold by myself for 30 minutes every night when I could be sleeping, or better yet...eating."

He plays with a piece of my hair. "I'm always right, babe."

"When did I say you could call me babe?" I question.

His eyes light up with excitement. "When did you start telling me what to do?"

I roll my eyes. The wind hits me and I shiver, subtly. But of course, Brick notices. He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me against his side.

"This time I came prepared." He says. I furrow my brows and watch as he produces a blanket from behind him. He drapes the red fabric across my shoulders and I pull it tight, making sure it's covering my entire body. He returns to his position and the combination of the soft blanket and his comforting arm causes me to grow tired. I rest my head against his chest.

"Are you cold?" I murmur.

"No." He says back. "Not with the hottest girl sitting beside me."

I chuckle and shift into a comfortable position, then stare up at the gorgeous night sky.

"I have a question." He says.

His glowing eyes stare down at me with hope. I sleepily respond, "Hm?"

"Do you love me?"

"Bitch, I hate you." His face falls and I smirk deviously. "But I will never, ever stop loving you to infinity."

He smiles and tugs me closer. Suddenly, I reach up and snatch his hat. His eyes widen and he reaches forward to grab it when I plant a kiss on his lips. I give him his hat and meet his eyes. "I'm going to miss you."

He kisses me back. "I'll miss you too." I fall back into a comfortable position with my head against his chest and begin to drift off to sleep. "You never know, maybe I'll visit ya in California."

I nod. "You should. Just don't get caught."

He plays with my hair again. "Who cares if we get caught. It'd be worth getting to see my girl."

"Oh? So now I'm yours?" I tease.

"You've always been mine, Red." He hugs me tighter. "Don't forget the saying."

I sigh happily. "I like that nickname."

"Red?"

I nod.

"Theres a reason I gave you that name." He says.

"Oh?"

He whispers in my ear. "My favorite color is red."

I smile the brightest, happiest smile I ever have and cherish the moment with Brick. I don't care what anyone thinks. Brick is my enemy...and I'm sure as hell gonna keep him as close as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Finale

His brown eyes fill with elation as he hands me a glass of vodka. I give him a small smile and thank him. He leans against the counter, flexing his bare chest.

"Anything for a girl as beautiful as you." He flashes me a bright grin.

I nervously take a sip of my drink and turn away in my chair.

"Are you here on vacation?" He asks casually.

"Yeah." I say and gaze out at the beach. Tons of people are buzzing around, the bartender is especially busy with orders, but I suppose it's nothing new for California. It is gorgeous though. The ocean is a deep cerulean blue, the sand looks just like that in pictures, and there are plenty of palm trees. I actually had a fresh coconut drink earlier with my sisters, but they left to go shopping. I stayed behind because I saw it as a perfect time to get a little tipsy. Yes, Brick did have some bad influence on me. Oh well.

"For how long?" The boy asks.

"We got here two days ago and are planning on staying for two weeks." I respond, not really interested in talking to him.

He combs his fingers through his black hair. "So you and I have plenty of time to get to know each other..."

I glance around. If Brick decided to show up right now and he's hearing this, then this guy is gonna end up with a concussion at best. I look at the guy sympathetically. "What was your name again?"

"Jack." He winks.

I grit my teeth. "Yeah, Jack, I'm sorry but I'm taken."

His eyes widen. "Oh! Seriously? I didn't even-"

"Um, I know it's kind of rude, thanks for the drink and all, but I think you should leave." I pray that he doesn't turn around.

Jack pulls a slip of paper out of his pocket and places it beside my hand. "Well, if things don't work out call me."

My face pales. "Jack, I'm warning you. Leave."

But its too late. In one swift movement, Jack is knocked off his feet and slammed against the counter. My glass nearly tips and I have to catch it.

"What'll it be today, lose your dick or your face?" Brick asks with fake enthusiasm.

The boy whimpers, "Hey, hey I don't want any trouble-"

Brick grabs him by the throat and lifts him off the ground. "Should've thought about that before you hit on my girlfriend."

Jack looks to me for help and I shrug. "I told you to leave me alone."

His face fills with fear. "NO DO-!"

Brick tosses him into the sky and it takes a few seconds before there's a loud splash. He brushes his hands off and looks at me. His lips pull into a mischievous grin as he moves closer. He wraps an arm around my waist. "Happy to see me?"

I cup his face in my hand and smirk. "Of course."

He places a soft kiss across my lips and lowers his gaze. "I think this bikini looks incredible on you."

My stomach flips and I blush.

He chuckles darkly and leans closer to me. "You're really livin' up to your nickname, Red."

I shove him back playfully. "Shut up, I didn't know you were coming today. If I would've known, I wouldn't be wearing this."

He tilts his head to the side. "Really? What would you wear...please tell me it'd be lace. I love lace, it's _sexy_."

"No! Oh my god you perv. What has Butch been teaching you?" I tease.

An evil look forms in his eyes. "Nothing..."

I glare, "Bullshit. What'd he say?"

"Well, besides talking about a threesome-" I stick out my tongue in disgust. "-he gave me some tips. Now I know what'll make you tick."

I snicker, "Please, do tell."

He hops into the seat beside me and steals my drink. "First of all...you get pissed about anything and everything I do. Which makes you that much more vulnerable and weak. Perfect chance for me to take advantage."

I cross my arms angrily.

"Exactly." He says. "Like I said before, you can't escape your own feelings. You know you love me and can't resist me. That's also what Butch told me. I already have my way with you. You're already OBSESSED with me. These passed two days without me have been hell for you."

I scoff, "Yeah right. These passed two days have been SO much better without you."

He shakes his head and finishes my drink.

"Hey!" I shout. "This is the only chance I have to get drunk today!"

He raises an eyebrow. "How the hell is this a vacation if you can't drink?"

I sigh. "I don't know, my sisters don't like me drinking or doing any kind of stuff like that."

"You mean the stuff you do with me?" He asks.

I glance at him and nod sadly. "They still don't know."

"I figured." He leans back and frowns. "You're never going to tell them, are you?"

"I will, Brick, just give me some time-"

"I _have._ " He states. "You even said Boomer would talk to Bubbles, but that didn't fucking happen. Why not? Because you never said anything to your sister."

"It's not my fault-"

"No, no. Nothing is ever your fault. It's just that you promised me, the night before you left, that you would tell your sisters that we ain't enemies no more. Too bad that didn't happen." He glares at me and I flinch.

"I'm trying, really I am, but I'm scared."

"Bloss," I raise my head at hearing him use my actual name. "You said they're your sisters, you told me you love your family, why would you lie to them? Why would they disprove of anything _you_ did? You're the leader for a reason."

I bite my lip. "But...what if I'm making a mistake. What if I put them in a bad position or get them hurt? I can't let that happen and-"

His voice lowers. "What do you mean; what if you're making a mistake?"

My eyes widen. "I'm not talking about us I-"

He pushes the glass off the counter and it shatters on the ground. "You better not be talking about us. If you are-"

I clench my fists. "If you would let me finish a fucking sentence maybe you'd find out what the hell I'm talking about!"

His red eyes narrow, but he stays quiet.

"I'm talking about your brothers, particularly Butch. He's super aggressive and so is Buttercup. What if something happens between them and then it sets all of us off and then we go back to trying to kill each other again? Because you sure as hell look as though you'd like to strangle me right about now!"

He lets out a frustrated sigh. "Can you just stop worrying so much? My brothers aren't total assholes, you know. Butch and Buttercup would get along fine and it's not like we're forcing them to like each other. We're just trying to end the rivalry. That's what you said, isn't it?"

I meet his glare. "Yeah."

"So what's the problem?" He asks.

I grab my drink and turn away. "Fine, whatever. I'll tell them tonight. You better tell your brothers than, too."

"Tell them what?"

"That we're ending this stupid rivalry! Do you not listen? God you're such an ass."

He growls and stands up. "Better yet, I'll just tell them now."

I furrow my brows as he walks away and disappears. Then I shrug it off and order another drink.

"Blossom!" Bubbles squeals and bursts through the door. She throws her arm full of bags onto the hotel bed and starts jumping up and down. "Can I show you everything I got?"

Buttercup follows in behind her and grudgingly places her two bags down, but I can see the joy in her emerald eyes. I nod at Bubbles happily. "Sure."

I fall onto the bed opposite of her and rest my chin in my hands as she begins to grab her items out one by one and raise them up for me to see. Bubbles absolutely loves shopping and I can't help but get excited from how happy she is.

"This one I'm gonna wear to the restaurant tonight-" She puts a bouncy white dress to her frame. "This I'm wearing to the beach-" Her eyes sparkle. "This I'm gonna wear to go shopping again!"

She continues to dig through her loaded bags and explain where she's going to wear each one. Meanwhile, Buttercup collapses onto the empty side of the bed and drifts to sleep. After Bubbles finishes, she glares at Buttercup.

"Get up you gotta start getting ready!" Her pigtails bounce as she yells and throws her arms up.

Buttercup tosses her head over. "Ready for what?"

"The freakin party!" Bubbles screams before grabbing her dress and dashing to the bathroom.

"How am I supposed to get ready when you're in the bathroom?!" Buttercup shouts.

"Change in there!" Bubbles muffled voice calls through the walls.

Buttercup groans, rolls onto her back, and gets up. I chuckle. "Have fun shopping?"

She eyes me and scoffs, "Yeah right," then gets changed. I look away to give her privacy and find myself contemplating Bubbles' words. A party? We're actually going to a party? My eyes widen. I can drink!?

A smile slips onto my face.

"Are you going to change?"

I glance up at my angry, dark haired sister and raise an eyebrow. "No. You don't need to dress up for a party...or at least if it's the kind I'm thinking of, which means it's not a fancy ballroom-dancing party." I frown. "Whatever. You don't go to look good, you go to have fun and get drunk."

Buttercup narrows her eyes. "And how the hell do you know that?"

I blink. "What?"

"Don't play dumb with me leader girl!"

"I'm not!" I shout.

She places her hands on her hips. "What is up with you?"

"Nothing." I scoff and sit up, turning away from her.

"Something is definitely wrong. Why have you been acting so-" She pauses and I glance over my shoulder. Her face twists as she thinks. "So mean?"

I stiffly get up and grab a glass of water. "I'm not mean."

She scowls at me. "Yes you are! You've been defensive about everything. You keep disappearing throughout the day. You never want to spend time with us anymore. You act cocky and bitchy all the fucking time. And to top it all off I know you're hiding something from us! You've been lying straight to our faces for too long and you better fess up!"

I nearly choke.

"See!?" She screams, pointing an accusing finger at me. "You are hiding something!"

"What is going on?" Bubbles snaps as she strides out of the bathroom.

Buttercup clenches her fists. "Blossom is lying to us."

"About what?" Bubbles blue eyes find mine and she frowns in confusion as Buttercup begins to go on a rant.

I pinch the bridge of my nose and set my cup down. "Buttercup, stop." Upon her mouth closing, I go on. "Fine. Fine. I give up! You're right, I have been 'lying' to you. I was never at the library when I went out. I wasn't even doing something close to studying. Hell, I've been going out to parties and getting drunk!"

Bubbles bites her lip and nods solemnly. "It's okay Bloss we-"

"No." I hiss, shaking my head. "No, that's not all."

My sisters stare at me intently.

"What else?" Bubbles asks.

I suck in a shaky breath. "I've been..." My stomach drops and I have to look away.

"You've been...? Come on tell us. We're your sisters, we'll understand."

I glance between my sisters, horrified of what I have to tell them. But I can't lie anymore. Lying won't help anything. "I've been seeing Brick."

"YOU WHAT!?"

Bubbles and I flinch from Buttercup's outburst.

"You've been seeing BRICK!?"

Her emerald eyes are wide and filled with rage. I shrug. "I have."

"Were you forced!?" She shouts.

I wipe my sweaty palms off on my jeans. "At first, yes. He threatened to kill you guys if I didn't meet up with him every night. We made a 'deal' while you and the boys were fighting, so you wouldn't have known. But a couple of days in he started changing, softening. He still kept his threat and didn't let me forget it, yet he didn't seem completely true to his word. We went to parties, the club, his place. We spray painted the school and stole from the city. I hated doing it, but I had no other option. Couldn't risk you two getting killed. So I did what Brick wanted and I guess doing it so much, I began to enjoy it. I like drinking and partying, I like the thrill of sneaking out and lying. But I know that I shouldn't do it because it's wrong. I knew from the start that what Brick and I were beginning to feel for each other was wrong, the only problem is you can't escape your own feelings. Over time, Brick didn't even care if it was wrong and neither did I. We just sort of...fell for each other. It was only weeks in that he changed his mind and said he wouldn't kill you two, even if I didn't show up. But for some odd reason, I continued to meet him. Every night for 3 months now, I have been seeing Brick and I regret nothing besides lying to my sisters."

Bubbles rubs her temples. "You're in love with Brick? With a Rowdyruff? You committed crimes _with_ him? You spray painted the school? Your favorite place?"

I glare. "It's not my favorite place. I hate school."

"What the hell!?" Bubbles suddenly yells. "Since when did you hate school? Since when did you like crime? Since when did you love your enemy who has tried to kill us since we were 5?"

Buttercup shakes her head. "I can't believe this. I thought you were a fucking nerd."

"I'm not a fucking nerd, okay? That's one of the biggest problems. As leader, you guys always try to transform me into something I'm not. You want me to be a good little girl who's constantly a perfect example and has the right answer to everything. But guess what? I'm not! I don't like being good sometimes! I like being with Brick because I know I'm actually helping him and doing what I truly want! Can you guys just be supportive of one fucking thing in my god damn life for once!?"

They both stare at me in awe. I search their faces for something besides anger, something besides betrayal, and am surprised to find relief. I furrow my brows.

"I'm sorry." Bubbles sighs. "I didn't mean to be rude or insult you, I'm just so shocked by this whole thing."

"Which I understand." I say. "It's confusing, I know, it's also a mess and I'm not even sure how to fix it-"

"I've always thought Boomer was cute."

I freeze. "Huh?"

Bubbles smiles. "I've always thought Boomer was cute. You know, since the day I met him I thought he seemed sweet, of course until he started punching me and stuff. But I'd like to get to know him."

Buttercup nods. "Yeah, he's a weird one, ain't he?"

Bubbles clenches her fists. "Hey! At least he's not a big perv!"

Buttercup glares. "If you're referring to Butch that's not true."

"How would you know?!"

"How would _you_ know!?"

I cock my head to the side and sit down. My heart has returned to a normal pace and I'm able to breathe now. This is so not what I was expecting, at all.

They argue for a while more before I interrupt them. "I just wanna say, you're both right about the ruffs. Butch is a total perv and Boomer is super weird."

Their eyes find mine and we share an awkward moment of silence before I crack a grin and they follow suit.

"I can reintroduce you guys if you want." I say.

Bubbles beams. "Really?" She turns to Buttercup and her blue eyes brighten. "We should invite them here for the rest of our vacation!"

"That's actually not a terrible idea." Buttercup responds.

"Um...maybe we shouldn't have-" I'm stopped as Bubbles bounces over to her phone and asks me for their number. I repeat it to her and she dials the digits before tossing the phone to me. My fear comes back as I hold it to my ear.

"If you're trying to sell me more magazines, I ain't interested. Unless you got playboy ones. And if you got a bone to pick with me, fuck off, I already had chicken wings tonight." A sharp, grumpy voice rings through the phone.

I bite my cheek. "Yeah, uh Butch?"

"PINKY!?"

I yank the phone away from his loud voice.

"What the fuck are you doing calling my phone? Why don't you call Brick?"

I nervously glance at my sisters to see they're just as confused. "Because you can get the word round quicker."

"What word?"

"My sisters and I are gonna be in California for a week and a half and we want you guys to come join us."

Theres a huge bang and then cursing, Butch probably dropped his phone. "Your sisters want us to come join you in California?!"

"Yeah...but is there any chance Brick could maybe, I don't know, stay behind?"

"Are you seriously in another fight? This is getting ridiculous, I can't stand people fighting over dumb shit which you guys probably are because you're egotistical morons. Do you realize how much you two get on my nerves, I can't even describe it. What are you fighting over this time? Let me guess, if water is wet? I'm not even joking, that's what you guys would fight over and it's about time you two learned that we-"

"Butch, shut up!" I shout. "Fine, bring him but don't fucking expect me to talk to him. Let him know that I'm not talking to him till he fucking apologizes for being an ass all the damn time!" I notice my sisters staring. I clear my throat. "You guys can stay in the hotel room beside us. We're leaving to a party right now, I'll text you the address."

I hang up and Buttercup scoffs. "You actually got him to listen."

"Hopefully."

* * *

"Three more shots of your hardest."

The bartender gives me a curt nod and disappears. I drape my head in my hands and let out a groan. Here I am, once again, getting drunk in a bar and being depressed about something stupid while everyone else has fun. Why do I always have to be such a let down? Shouldn't I be happy that my sisters and the ruffs are getting along? I mean, sure, I am happy and at the same time I'm worried. Brick hurt me before, he's hurt me quite a few times even though some were accidents. Butch and Boomer might do the same to my sisters and that scares me. But I know that I just need to suck it up because there's no turning back now. Not when they're already on the dance floor partying with each other. I glance over my shoulder. Buttercup is smirking at something Butch said, her eyes full of excitement as she dances with him. Boomer and Bubbles are practically in each other's arms, giggling and smiling, jumping into every slow song. Why theres slow songs at a club? I have no clue. Maybe because it's the 4th of July so they figured it wouldn't hurt to bring couples closer. I would never slow dance, ever. The picture of me in Brick's arm swaying softly to the sound of the music around a bunch of other couples disgusts me.

My stomach aches and I down another shot.

Brick. I haven't seen him yet and I doubt he showed. If my wish came true, he stayed home. But is that really my wish? Of course not. I did what he wanted and I think he would be proud of what we've accomplished with our siblings...but it seems like our fights are only continuing to escalate. Then theres the fact that I allowed him to throw an innocent guy into the ocean to his near death. I've changed. Too much. Can I even still call myself a hero after all the villainous things I've done? I never really think about it anymore, I'm usually too focused on keeping mine and Brick's relationship stable. But it never will be stable. Never. We're complete opposites and things will forever go wrong because of that. Not that I'm giving up on him, or us, I just know we won't ever have a perfect relationship.

Then I begin to wonder. Is our relationship going to end? What would result from that? Would he go ballistic and destroy the city? I definitely can't let that happen. So at the same time I guess I'm just staying with him to protect everyone. What a bullshit excuse of a girlfriend I am. God damn it. Why does everything have to be so difficult? Why does Brick have to be so difficult?

My head begins to pound and I slide out of my seat. I exit the club and find myself wandering down the street, in need of fresh air and silence. Even though I get cold easily, I enjoy nighttime air and the chilly breeze. But here in California, even at night, it's humid. Doesn't help that it's raining because the rain is just as hot. Droplets roll down my forehead and I can't tell if they're sweat or rain.

I decide to fly up and scan the city for a tall building. Upon finding it, I sit on the ledge of the rooftop and gaze out at the lights. I guess I'm near the border of California and Nevada, because I can see flashing signs reading 'Las Vegas' in the distance. It's pretty cool to look at the different states beside each other. California has more office like buildings and skyscrapers while Nevada seems to have tons of casinos, hotels, and clubs. I'm not sure why we didn't just go to a club in Las Vegas, maybe it'd be too crowded.

Out of nowhere, my nose begins to get stuffy and I sniff. Then I realize I'm crying. Tears fall down my cheeks before I can hold them back and a sob escapes my lips.

"I don't want you to be mad at me." I say to myself, referring to Brick. I shake my head and squeeze my eyes shut. "I want to be happy. I want us to be together. Why can't we just be happy, together?" I pull my knees to my chest and bury my head in them. Guilt and regret swarm me and my silent cries turn into loud sobs. Thankfully, there's no one around to hear or see me as I crumble to pieces.

It's an entire hour, dedicated purely to my crying, before I return to the club. I take a minute to dry my eyes and regain my composure, leaning against the outside wall and breathing in slowly.

Dirt crunches beneath someone's shoes. There's a high pitched giggle. "That's what I was thinking!"

My head turns and I meet two pairs of blue eyes.

"Blossom?" Bubbles tilts her head to the side, clutching Boomer's arm. "What are you doing out here?"

I shrug. "Needed some air." My gaze drifts away from them and I narrow my eyes, holding back tears. "How's it going?"

Boomer shares a smile with my sister. "Great. I'm glad you told me not to give up, that she'd give me a chance. You were right."

Bubbles giggles again as Boomer brushes his fingers over her jawline. I keep a solid expression and refuse to turn to them, not sure if the water works will kick back in or not. "Good. So this rivalry is over then?" I ask.

My sister nods happily. "Everything is worked out." Then theres a pause and I can feel the thick tension that suddenly rises. "Brick was looking for you."

My heart stops and my skin goes cold.

"Want us to tell him you're out here?" Boomer asks softly.

I shake my head. "He'll find me."

The club is still loud and my headache returns with vengeance the second I step inside. At least I know alcohol will help ease the pain for now. I slip into a seat at the bar and order a large glass of light beer. I don't want to over due it tonight, I don't intend to spend my vacation with an intense hangover. But I also don't want to spend tonight dreading every second.

I'm tipping the glass to my lips when I catch a person easing into the chair beside me. He orders a glass of the hardest and downs it. I watch on for a while, before speaking up.

"I'm not apologizing."

He scoffs, though there is no humor in his expression.

Tears warningly sting my eyes but I hold them back and cover it up with anger. "I forgot to tell you something." Silence. "What you said to me, back in the club, the night I went with that guy, do you remember?"

"Yeah." He mutters.

I clench my fists. "Then when we got in that big fight, and you called me a whore? Remember that too?"

His grip tightens on his glass. "Yes."

"Why do you do that? Why do you have to be such an ass?" I question.

"I don't know." He turns his head away.

I slam my fist down onto the table and multiple people jump and look our way. Brick finally meets my glare.

"Yes you do. You're jealous, aren't you? Or maybe you're just a perv like Butch?"

He clenches his teeth. "No. Yes. Which one are you asking!?"

I shrug. "I don't know. Which one are you answering?"

He's seething with anger. "I'm not a pervert! Maybe I just feel like I love you enough to take things further."

"Because you need to make sure I'm yours, only yours, and no one else's property. But I'm not property."

"I didn't say that and you know it. Besides, I can't make you mine when you already slept with that guy at the club." He glares into the distance and I notice a tinge of pain.

"No I didn't."

He meets my eyes again, "then you did it with someone else. Haven't you dated the entire school?"

I cringe. "So now you believe petty rumors too?"

He rolls his eyes. "Just admit it, you still don't trust me enough to dedicate yourself completely to me. I'm a villain, right? Can't love me cuz I ain't got the heart to love you back."

My stomach sinks. "I never said I didn't trust you! And who says you're still a villain? If villains don't have hearts...then how do you have one?" I bite my lip. "Or were you just using me?"

His eyes widen. "No!"

"Why do you think I'm not dedicated completely to you, Brick?" I ask, biting my lip even harder to hold back tears. "I was going to let you be my first that night we fought."

His entire body stiffens. "What?"

I have to look away. "Never mind, I shouldn't have told you." He doesn't respond. "Go ahead! Laugh at me. I don't care!"

A tear trickles down my cheek and I mentally curse at myself for being weak. Suddenly, it's wiped away and my watery eyes find Brick's. He frowns. "I didn't know."

I gently pull away. "I don't want your sympathy and I don't want to be a damsel in distress."

"You're serious?" He asks.

I nod. "Of course I am. Just as serious as I am about staying with you."

He pulls me into his hold and I loop my arms around his neck. I feel his hot breath on my collarbone as he buries his face in my hair.

"Would've been my first too." He mutters against my skin.

My eyes widen. I lean back to meet his fiery gaze, heart racing. His face is twisted with disgust. He's disgusted with himself. I touch his arm. "I also didn't know."

The revulsion disappears from his expression and softens into understanding. He looks down and tugs my arms towards him. I gasp as I slip off my seat, placing my palms on his thighs to prevent from collapsing. His lips pull into a sly grin, our faces centimeters apart. "I'm proud of you though."

I'm overwhelmed by the position I'm in, especially in public and with my sisters nearby, so I don't respond.

His hand glides along the curve of my back, red eyes wide with want. "Now we don't have to hide our relationship from our siblings...so that means you can come over whenever you want to."

Out of habit, I bite my lip. His gaze slips down and he begins to lean in. I place a hand on his chest and he immediately looks at me with desperation. "Not here, not in public."

He takes my hand and stands up, seeming rushed. "Then we can go to my place."

Even though I badly want to jump back into Brick's hold and let him kiss me until I'm breathless, I shake my head. "No, I want us to spend some time with our siblings right now. Plus, you're drunk."

He looks taken aback. "What? I'm not drunk."

Maybe he isn't, but I don't want to take that risk. I start backing into the crowd. "You can follow me if you want. But you're gonna have to wait for _that_ until you're sober." I smirk. "And you have to be a good boy." With a wink, I turn and disappear into the thick pile of people.

* * *

"I love that song!"

Butch beams at his counterpart. "Me too!"

Suddenly, Buttercup snatches the headphones away and shoves through the door. She leaps onto the hotel bed, only to be shoved off by Butch. He tackles her to the ground as the rest of us file in. I place my empty can of beer on the sink and lift my suitcase onto the bed. "Stop screwing around, you're giving me a headache."

Buttercup pins Butch and rolls her eyes at me. "Stop being such a bitch."

Butch grabs her arm and throws her aside. He laughs at me. "Yeah, pinky, stop being a bitch."

I raise an eyebrow and glance at Brick. He snickers before going after Butch, who instantly panics at seeing his leader brother flying towards him. Bubbles appears at my side with a huge, glistening smile.

"I can't believe this is happening, and in such short time." She says.

My lips curve into a smirk as I watch Brick wrestle his brother. Boomer steps in to break them apart and Buttercup rolls around on the floor, laughing. "It's incredible. I feel like this is a start to something great, you know?"

Bubbles nods. "Who would've thought we'd be hanging around with our arch enemies in California someday?"

I shrug. "No one. But maybe thats what our problem always was. We believed in nothing but our morals. We wanted nothing to do with criminals and taboo. Once we realized there were other ways to life, other ways to be happy, we let go of those morals. That was our biggest obstacle...and still, we got passed it."

Out of nowhere, she pulls me into a hug and I return the embrace warmly.

"I'm so happy." She chirps.

I rub her back. "I think we all are."

It's already 2 am, I'm tired and drunk, my jeans are uncomfortable, and I don't want to sleep in all day tomorrow, so I grab my PJs and head to the bathroom. Hopefully, it won't be too hard to split everyone apart and send the boys to their room, because I'm not in the mood for a challenge. I just want to sleep. As soon as my hand begins to twist the doorknob, I'm yanked back and a pair of lips are crushed against mine. My eyes widen. Brick grins.

"I'll see you in the morning." He mutters.

I chuckle. "More like afternoon."

His fingers brush under my chin and he places a kiss along my jaw. "I can't wait that long."

Quickly, I wave his hand away and scold him. "Don't turn all gushy and romantic on me."

He scoffs, "Fine. I'll be a bad boy...because I know you love that." His voice is husky as he says this and I get butterflies in my stomach.

"I can't deny it." I say.

"Come on! I wanna go to bed!"

Both of our gazes turn to Butch, who's standing in the hallway, clutching a blanket, while Boomer holds the door open.

Brick narrows his eyes. "Bro, how badly do you want to sleep in the hospital?"

Butch makes a face, but keeps quiet.

I find Brick's eyes and kiss him passionately. To my surprise, he doesn't plead for more as I pull away.

"Goodnight." He says.

I push him out the door and smile. "Goodnight!" Then slam it in his face.

* * *

 _2 months later..._

"When do you think they'll be back?" I ask Brick as we watch TV.

He shrugs. "Not for a while. Butch and Buttercup will probably go to the bar after the game. And Boomer is planning on taking Bubbles to see the world premiere for Adrift after dinner."

"I didn't know he was going to do that."

Brick smirks. "It's a surprise."

I nod and stare at the television. "Well I'm glad everyone is getting along."

He eyes me with a frown. "But somethings wrong?"

I blink at him in surprise. "No-"

"I know when you're lying so don't even bother." He states.

My gaze drifts down. "You've changed."

"We all have."

I shake my head. "I don't want you to change. And obviously I don't want you to be a villain...but...well-I-"

He turns his head and meets my eyes. "Like bad boys."

The TV goes black and Brick tosses the remote aside. A grin slips onto his face and in one swift motion, he lifts me up and plants me on his lap. Heat rushes to my face as he stares intently into my pink eyes. I bite my lip and he immediately breaks the space between us. I string my arms around his shoulders and have to straddle him as he pushes me back forcefully. The kiss is long and the second he pulls away, I'm gasping for air, before he presses his lips against mine again. My lungs burn but when I try to escape, he grabs the back of my head and forces me to stay against him. I'm not complaining though.

His hands wander down my sides and stop at my hips, where he grabs hold and jerks me closer. I know my face is beat red by now.

I instinctively begin to tug at the hem of his shirt and he breaks away for a second to yank it off.

"This isn't bad enough." I mutter through heavy breaths.

His red eyes burn with lust and he slips his hand under my shirt and brings me closer. "Just wait. In a few seconds, you won't be able to talk."

He kisses my lips before moving to my neck. I feel his teeth graze my skin and then he bites down, hard. My grip on his biceps tightens. His bare skin feels warm and strong, I trail my hands along his torso and can make out every muscle and scar simply by touch. Suddenly, he tears my shirt off and throws it away. Before he can go further, he stiffens and leans back.

I follow his gaze to my ribcage, where a long, nasty scar runs through my skin. It used to be huge, I had to get stitches. When it was fresh, it was gushing blood and my pink dress had been soaked. That's when my sisters and I changed our uniforms. That was 12 years ago, and yet...I still feel the pain.

"I did this." Brick mutters, running his thumb along the mark. "I hurt you."

My fingers lift up his chin so he meets my eyes. "I hurt you too. Its okay, the past is in the past. You're a better person now. We aren't fighting anymore." I take his hands. "If you let it bother you, it'll bother me even more."

He bites his lip, and this time I kiss him.

"How many hours do we have?" I whisper.

He snickers. "Enough to make you scream."

My eyes widen and he chuckles. Then he holds onto my legs and stands up. Without a word, without separating, we go to my bedroom and have no more interruptions.

The night sky is still as beautiful as ever. It seems untouched. I can make out every star and constellation, no clouds in sight. The same as it always was when Brick and I met up.

My legs dangle off the ledge of the same rooftop I've sat on for nearly 5 months as I wait for Brick. He went to watch a baseball game with his brothers while me and my sisters went shopping. I glance down at the plastic bag at my side. Brick loves playing baseball, it's his favorite sport. Me and my sisters used to play it when we were kids, so now all 6 of us play it. It's one of the best things we do as a group. Sometimes we'll even invite the whole town over for a BBQ and have a baseball tournament. But that's rare because the town is still unsure of the ruffs and the ruffs don't like being around overly happy people. Nobody will ever completely support our choice to be with the boys, but I've come to terms with that, just as I've come to terms with being in love with a villain.

"What's up, Red?"

My heart leaps. "No way. You're on time!"

He sits down and places a kiss on my lips before smirking. "I thought it was the least I could do."

I reach into the plastic bag and pull out the contents. "I found something perfect while at the mall."

His gaze drifts to the black koozie in my hand. Written in pink letters, is the word RED. I give it to him with a smile.

"It also came with this." I dig out a pink and red zigzagged blanket. "But I thought we could share this one."

He smiles back and wraps his arm around my waist. He drapes the blanket over us and inspects the koozie. "I'm going to get made fun of for having pink on this."

I raise an eyebrow. "Then you'll beat whoever makes fun of you up."

He laughs and pulls a box out from behind him. "Figured some beer would make things better."

My eyes brighten as he tosses me a can. I crack it open and take a swig. "Best date ever."

"I think this is our first mutual date." He states.

I look at him and blink. "I think you're right."

"We've been checking a lot of things off our list lately, haven't we?" He grins at me mischievously.

My lips curve into a smirk. "Yes we have."

He pulls me into a delicate kiss then I let my head fall against his chest. "I love you." He murmurs.

I pull the blanket tighter. "I love you too."

He holds me close, his fiery red eyes staring down at me with admiration and passion. For once in my life, I feel like everything is finally perfect.

Brick and I once stood on this rooftop, murderous thoughts running through our heads as we glared at each other from opposite ends. He held me there with a threat. We had no intentions for each other besides pain. Now, willingly, we sit together without any bad intentions, without any threats at all, without any worries or cares. I stay in his arms as he protectively holds onto me, and kisses me beneath the stars.


End file.
